TROY, Mich. – (July 20, 2026) – The American Collegiate Hockey Association, the governing body for non-NCAA collegiate hockey in the United States, announced today that Todd Bell has been named as Director of Hockey Administration for the ACHA.
Bell is an accomplished athletics communications and operations leader with more than three decades of experience spanning sport administration, media relations, event communications, and game operations at the international, professional, and intercollegiate levels.
Bell’s hockey background includes stints as the Marketing & Communications Manager for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (2019-2021) and Associate Commissioner of Media Relations and Operations for Atlantic Hockey and College Hockey America (2021-24). During his time with the AHA and CHA, he led a social media strategy that tripled following and drove a 79% increase in impressions in his first season with the two leagues, negotiated a new streaming rights partnership for the CHA, and spearheaded a comprehensive modernization of each league’s record book.
Earlier in his career, Bell was Assistant Director of Athletics Communications at the University of Alabama, supporting SEC and CFP Championship football programs, and led USA Rugby’s collegiate division, managing an 800-team division for the National Governing Body. He also spent 16 years directing media and membership relations for the American Football Coaches Association and worked on Heisman Trophy-winning campaigns for Desmond Howard and Andre Ware at Michigan and Houston, respectively.
Alongside his full-time roles, Bell has worked in game operations and media services roles at major events including the Olympics, Super Bowl XLV, the Stanley Cup Playoffs, College Football Playoff, NCAA Final Four and NCAA Frozen Four. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism/Public Relations from the University of St. Thomas.
Bell resides in Andover, Mass., with his wife, Christa Sabatini, and their daughter, Vivienne.
“I am excited to welcome Todd Bell to the ACHA family as our new Director of Hockey Administration,” said ACHA Executive Director Craig Barnett. “Todd will join our leadership team and work closely with me, Dave Kurtz, our five Divisional Commissioners, and our support staff to help serve our growing membership and continue strengthening the Association’s administrative operations.
Barnett continued, “Todd brings extensive experience in collegiate athletics administration and communications, with an impressive background spanning college hockey, other NCAA and Collegiate sports, and professional athletics. As the ACHA continues to grow, the addition of this position will enhance our ability to serve our members more efficiently, improve communication, and provide an even higher level of administrative support across the Association.”
Bell can be contacted directly at tbell@achahockey.org. For more information about the ACHA, please contact ACHA Executive Director Craig Barnett at cbarnett@achahockey.org.
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About American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) was founded in 1991 and is the national association for Non-NCAA Collegiate Hockey throughout the United States. Our organization of more than 560 colleges and university-affiliated teams representing 48 states provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the sport of Hockey nationwide. With approximately 16,000 players and coaches as well as countless volunteers and game officials, the ACHA has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade and continues to be a viable option for college-bound student-athletes to continue playing competitive hockey nationwide. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA’s primary mission is to support the growth of Collegiate Hockey while emphasizing academic performance, personal development, and opportunities for regional, national, and international competition. The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and entered its 35th season in September 2025. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
